Portable autographic register



Aug. 11, 1931. E, K; BQTTLE 1,817,960

PORTABLE -AUTOGRAPHIG REGISTER Filed April 22, y1925 ull: I

y INVENTOR 0 anw/.0L 7C. am BY Fatented ug. il, 193i EDWARD KIRBY BOTTLE, OF ELMRA., NEW YORK, .ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN SALES BOOK COMPANY, LIMITED, OF TORONTO, CANADA, CORPORATION OF ONTARIO PORTABLE AUTOGRAIHIC REGISTER This invention relates to improvements in autographic registers or the like, and more particularly in some of its details, to such registers portable in nature or capable'of r being carried in the hand when in use.

lt is a general object of the invention to provide a register of the class mentioned which is simple and inexpensive in construction, convenient and eiiicient in use, and strong, yet so light as to render it readily portable and capable if necessary of being carried in the hand while in use without undue strain or fatigue upon the user;

Another object is to provide an autol graphic register having an improved construction for housing the supply record strip and the transfer or carbon strip, and to provide a protection for these supply strips .from injury or exposure to dirt, moisture and the like. v

Still another object is to provide an autographic register having an improved and convenient arran ement for regulating the feed of the recortgl strip or strips so as correctly to position them for entry of a record thereon.

Another object is to provide an im roved clamping means for the forwardly fe parts of the record strips, which may be also utilized as a tear-olf edge for the forwardly fed used parts of the strips.

Another object is to provide an improved supportingr device for registers of the-class mentioned! so as to steady and support the' register in the hand of the user.

Other objects will be in part pointed out in connection with thev following detailed description and will be in part obvious in connection therewith.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set` forth and the sco e of the a plication-of which will be in icated in t e claims.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference is had to the following detailed description and to the accompanying drawings disclosing illustrative but preferred embodiments of the invention, and in which Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section taken approximately on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2 looking in thedirection of the arrows and showing an autographic register embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, parts being broken away and shown in horizontal section; y

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken approximately on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section showing the strip positioning and aligning device;

Fig. 5' is a view-similar to Fig. 4, the strips being shown in a different position;

Fig. 6 is a 'plan view of a portion of a reccord strip for use in the register;

Fig.'7 is a partial plan view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modification; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical section tgfrken7 approximately on the line 8-8 of Referring to the drawings for a detailed description of the embodiments of the invention t ereshown, there is represented an autographic register having a casing construct-l ed of some light strong material, as sheet, metal, the bottom, side and top walls bein formed in one integral piece bent and shape to form the complete register casing. The integral piece of material forming the casing may be cut from a sheet metal plate and then bent and shaped to form the casing. The end wall 10 of thecasing may also be integral with the bottom plate as shown in Fig. l. The opposite or forward end of the casing is provided with a assageway communicating with the interior compartment and a closure or door 11 is provided for this passageway being hinged at its lower edge as at 12 and pressed towards closed position by a spring 13. The interior compartment thus provided may be employed as a storage compartment or housing for a supply of record strips, for example the zigzag supply pad 14 which may be made up of one folded record strip, but preferably includes a pludiagram Mun 5 'i th si' ezifarcs c c mus no m propel* @acum n fr.

motcdby reason of the fact that there is a tendency due to the resiliency of the paper, for the parts of the strips following the transverselines 23 when assuming substantially the position shown in Fig. 5, to spring horizontally away from the apex, thus retracting slightly over the writing table any sftrip that may be slightly in advance of the others. Any substantial longitudinal disalignmcnt of the strips, such as may have taken place ywhen `the strips are threaded into the machine or through accident or otherwise, may be readily corrected by pulling the strips individually., beginning with the lowermost, until each is in turn checked by the transverse apex 19.

A clamping plate 26 for the forwardly fed ends of the record strips is pivoted to the casing through depending flanges 27 so as to be capabley of swinging upwardly `as shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 1, being biased to clamping position by means of a spring 28. An outturned flange 29 is preferably provided on one of the depending flanges 27 to form a lug for manually raising andlowering the clamping plate. The forward edge of the clamping plate provides a tearing edge across which the forwardly fed record strips may be severed, being for this purpose spaced to register approximately with the transverse lines 23 when the strips are checked by the transvcrseedge 29 as described. The rear end of the writing table may be notched as at 30, underlying the tearing edge of the clamping plate 26 so as to' facilitate grasping of the strip ends after severance of the extending ends. The end wall 10 may also be notched as indicated at 31 for this purpose.

A supporting or retaining strap or bail 32 may be attached to the lower rear end of the casing so as to extend over a supporting hand of the operator to steady the register in supported position. A cushion or bearing plate 33 may be attached to the hand bail 32 for contactywith the operators hand.

A tubular housing 34 for a supply roll of transfer strips is provided at one side of the writing table, having arotary sliding cover 35 for covering the receiving opening in the side of the housing, this cover being shown in Fig. 3 as assuming position to uncover the opening'. The transfer strips extend from the housing 34 through the opening therein over the writing table and between adjacent record strips.V the free ends thereof being clamped ,to the opposite side of the register by means of a clamping bar 36 pivote'd at one end and retained at its opposite end in clamping position by means vof a keeper 37.

The modification shown in Figs. 7 and 8 is similar to that above described and similar parts are designated by similar reference numerals with addition of the index a. In

this modification however stub aligning posts 38 are provided spaced to correspond to the spacing of the apertures 24 in the record strips and having conical surfaces as shown, vso as 'to' enter said apertures and thereby effect longitudinal alignment of the strips with reference to each other and also to correctly position the strips laterally and longitudinally and to align them over the Writing table. These aligning posts are positioned adjacent the rear edge of the clamping plate 26a which is notched as at 39 'to receive the posts. Depression of the clamping plate into clamping position will therefore force the record strips into position over the aligning posts.

The aligning pins or posts 38 as mentioned lie adjacent to the clamping bar 26a' and ane thus spaced at a denite distance in advance of the strip checking edge or det-en 19 so that the pins enter the strip apertures when the folds or creases of the record strips come into alignment with said detent. Therefore, when the clamping bar is moved downwardly into clamping position, the apertures of the record strips are caused to engage over the pins when the strips are forced downwardly. This not only aligns the strips by virtue ofthe conica-lY forma-- tion of the pins as mentioned but the strip.' are simultaneously engaged at parts spaced llongitudinally near opposite ends of the platenor writing table, so as to cause the strips to lie flat and smooth in writing position avoiding wrinkles, folds and other irregularities. These posts also serve to assist in retaining the strips against the clamping bar 26a, when pressure of said bar is relieved.

As above, suggested the casinor of the register may be made so light and small as to be readily portable, or capable of being carried in one hand while the other makes the entry upon a record strip,.but it will be' understood that important features of the invention, such for example as the feature vrelating" to positioning the record strips for entry of a' record, and signaling to the o perator when the strips are thus positioned.,v y are apphcable to other types of registers, and their use in such connection is contemintended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having ldescribed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a device of the character described,

soA

in combination, a casing having a compartment for storing a record strip, a writing table over which said strip may be fed and positioned for entry of a record thereon, a strip positioning detent over which the strip passes when fed 'forwardly to said writing table, said strip being weakened on transverse lines against bending resistance and engaging said detent at said weakened lines to vary the resistance to strip Lt'eed, so as to assist in positioning the strip in writing position upon said writing table, and a closure for said compartment eoaeting with said strip to guide and position it relatively to said detent during strip feed.A

2. A portable autographic register including in combination, a casing having a compartment 'for storing superposed supply strips with blank forms spaced therealong folded into a zigzag supply pad, a writing table overlying said compartment over which said strips may be fed and positioned for entry of a record thereon, said casing having a strip exit slot leading from said compartment near one end of said writing table means for supporting a transfer strip or strips over the writing table. between adjacent record strips, a strip positioning detent adjacent said slot and positioned at one end of and in delinite relation with said writing table over which the strips pass when Lfed forwardly to said writing table, guides at both sides of said detent `for directing said strips toturn sharply thereabout, one positioned where the strips emerge from said compartment and the other positioned adjacent said writing table, the folds of said strips cooperating with said detent when passing thereover to e'iiect longitudinal alignment of the blank 'forms and to check the feeding movement of said strips when in writing position upon said writing table.

3. A portable autographic register including in combination, a easing having a compartment for storing a supply strip, a

writing table over which said strip may be 'fed and positioned for entry of a record thereon, said casing having a strip exit slot leading from said compartment near one end of said writing table, a strippositioning detent in the path o1" said strip and having a definite longitudinal relation therein with reference to said table including a plate eX- tending transversely of the direction of strip feed and having angularly disposed faces 'forming an apex around which the strip turns in its course from said compartment to said writing table,`and guiding means including said slot for restraining the strip into contact with and to turn about `said detcnt during strip feed so as to check the strip in writing position upon said writing table.

4. In a device of the character described, 1n combination, a easing having a compartment for storing a zigzag supply pack having a plurality of supply strips folded therein and having blank forms spaced therealong, a writing table overlying said compartment over which said strips may be fed in superposed relation and positioned for entry of a record thereon, means 'for supporting a transfer strip over the writing table between adjacent record strips, atransverse edge formed at the -forward part of said writing table providing a strip positioning detent having a deinite relation with said writirg table and lying in the path of said strips between said compartment and said writing table over which detent said strips pass when fed from said compartment to said writing table, said transverse edge cooperating with a folded line of said strips to effect alignment of the forms thereon when the strips are fed forwardly and to signal to the operator upon advancement ot a predetermined strip length, a Filling passageway `for said compartment at one end of said casing and a closure for said passageway having one edge lying adjacent said .transverse edge to form a guide for said strips.

5. A manifolding autographic register adapted to be supported by the operator while inscription is being made and including, in combination, a casing adapted to contain a supply of record strips and having a writing table, said casing having, at its front end a door cooperative with said table to form a slot therebetween for passage of record strips, when the door is closed, so as to position and guide the strip with reference to the later mentioned strip checking edge and a guide strip spaced above said table adjacent its forward end adapted to guide the record strips close to the upper surface of the writing table, the 'forward end of said table having a depending fiange meeting 'the outer face of said table at an angle to provide a transverse strip checking edge.

6. In a device of the character described, in combination, a casing having a compartment for storing a supply of record strip having blank forms spaced thereon, a writing table overlying said compartment over which the record strip may be fed and positioned for entry of a record thereon, a strip checking detent including a transverse checking edge positioned rearwardly of the writing table and between the latter and said compartment in the path of strip feed so as to engage strip folds lto check strip advancement when a blank 'form is in writing position on the writing table, a movable strip clamping bar positioned relatively 'forwardly of the writing table soas to clamp the forwardly fed end of the strip and a conical strip aligning pin positioned adjacent said clamping bar so as to engage in a strip j aperture when said bar is in clamping position and when a strip fold is engaged by said checking edge.

7 An autographic register comprising, in

combination, a portable box forming a cas` ing for a supply of record strips` the upper wall of said box providing a writing table,

the rear upright Wall of said box being mov-` the other side of said checking edge, strip` aligning posts upstanding from said upper wall forwardly thereof, and manually operable means movably mounted on said box adapted to hold the strips closely adjacent to said posts, being movable to strip releasing position.

8. In a device of the character described, in combination, a casing having a compartment for storing a record strip, a writing table over which said strip may be fe: and positioned for entry of a record thereon, a downturned flange at one end of said writ- ;ing table-bent sharply so as to provide a transversely extending edge forming a strip positioning detent correlated with the ,writing table over which the strip passes when fed forwardly to said .writing table, said strip being weakened on transverse lines against bending resistance and engaging said detent at said weakened lines to check strip feed so as to assist in positioning the strip in writing position upon said'writing table, and transverse guiding members adjacent to said detent positioned both forwardlyand rearwardly thereof with reference to the path of strip feed for guiding said strip to turn sharply about said detent.

9. In a device of the character described, in combination, a casing having a compartnientV for storing a record strip, a writing table overlying said compartment upon which said strip may be fed and positioned for entry' of a record thereon. a downturned flange on said writing table inclined to the plane of the latter so as to form an acute-angled transverse strip positioning detent at the forward part of said writing table and lying in the path of said strip between said compartmentand said writing table, over which detent the strip passes when fed forwardly to the writing table, said strip being weakened on transverse lines against bending resistance so as to fold over said detent and to increase resistance to strip feed, thus checking the strip in writing position upon said writing table,

said detent having a definite longitudinal relation with reference to said writing table so as to check the writing areas of the record strip at a denite position upon the writing table, and a filling passage-way for said compartment at the end of said casing having a closure with one edge lying adjacent said detent to form a guide for said strip.

l0. In a device of the character described, in combination, a casing having a compartment for storing a plurality 'of supply strips having blank forms spaced therealong, a Writing table overlying said compartment over which said strips may be fed insuperposed relation and positioned for entry of a. record thereon, means for supporting a transfer strip over the. writing table between adjacent record strips, a down-turned, inwardly inclined flange at the-rear of the writing table, forming an acute angled transverse edge lying in the path of said strips between said compartment and said writingtable and providing a strip positioning detent longitudinally correlated with said table, said strips passing over said detent when fed from said compartment to said writing table, said transverse edge cooperating with weakened lines on said strips to effect alignment of the forms thereon when the strips are fed forwardly so as to check the strips and signal to the operator when writing areas of said strip are in correct writing position on the writing table, a clamping plate for holding the forwardly fed ends of the strips mounted for movement toward and away from strip clamping position. and an aligningcpin adjacent to said clamping plate for engagement in apertures in said strips, said pin being -spaced forwardly of said strip positioning detent a denite distance so as to enter strip apertures when the detent is in engagement with a weakened line of the strip.

l1. An autographic register including, in combination, a casing having a compartment for storing a supply record strip, a writing table over which said strip may be fed an'd positioned for entry of a record thereon, said casing having` a strip exit through which said record strip may pass in its path from said compartment to a position near one endof said writing table. a strip positioning detent in the path of said record strip near said end of said writing table and having augularly disposed faces forn'i'ng an apex extending transversely of strip feed around which the record strip turns in its path from said compartment to said writing table, strip guiding means for restraining the record strip into contact with and to turn abruptly about said apex during strip feed so that the apex will engage with strip folds to check strip lll) advancement and to position the strip adjacent said end of the 'Writing 'table when a strip inscription area is in writing position upon said writing table, and at least 5 one strip aperture engaging strip position.-

n pin spaced longitudinaly of the Writing ta 1e from said apex and being engageabie .with strip apertures to retain the strip in writing position at the opposite end of said 10 writing table.

In testimony whereof 'I efx my signeture.

EDWARD KRBY BUTTLE. 

